Masonry corner and wall lay-up guide



June 19, v1962 R. N. JERNIGAN MASONRY CORNER AND WALL LAY-UP GUIDE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed June 8, 1959 FR/52E BOARD 4 Robert /V. Jam/gun 1NVEN TOR.

June 19, 1962 R. N. JERNIGAN 3,03 ,1

MASONRY CORNER AND WALL LAY-UP GUIDE Filed June 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2V Robert N. Jam/pan INVENTOR.

3,039,196 MASONRY CGRNER AND WALL LAY-UP GUIDE Robert N. .lernigan, 2505Windward Court, Orlando, Fla. Filed June 8, 1959, Ser. No. 818,768 6Claims. (Cl. ss-ss The present invention relates to an improved masonrycorner and intervening wall planning and lay-up guide or implement thepurpose of which is to enable users thereof to expeditiously andaccurately cope with and take care of the three primary steps in masonrywork; namely, plumbing of corners (either inside or outside), running oflines, and coursing units to comply with the uniformity required.

Since it may be of help in better understanding the nature of thesubject matter under consideration the reader should know thatobjectives of the concepts are such that the invention in a unitarysense is an extension of and an improvement on a similarly constructedmasons lay-up guide which has been aptly and descriptively referred toas a story pole, that is, a novel structural adaptation of a knock-downtype which serves to assist users in performing the aforementionedprimary masonry steps in a reliably effective manner. The priorinvention is disclosed in co-pending application Serial No. 774,693filed on November 18, 1958.

Certain features which characterize the previously filed case are commonto similar adaptations present in the instant case involving a cornerand wall lay-11p means in which a rigid upright for vertical dispositionis employed. The upright preferably comprises an angle iron. The visiblesurfaces of the flanges of the angle iron are provided with masonscoursing scales. A base bracket of a special construction is providedand utilized for securing a complemental lower end portion of the angleiron in the desired vertical starting position. Wall brackets areutilized to cooperate with median portions of the angle iron andadjacent portions of the corner and wall in the course of erection. Inthe wall bracket a suitably slidable and detachable line clip isprovided. In addition and above this a cornice bracket is provided andthis bracket is such in construction that apertured flanges embodiedtherein may be nailed to the frieze board.

The cornice bracket also comprises upstanding attaching flanges at rightangles and depending wing-like flanges which have setscrews that may beengaged with the flanges at the upper end portion of the verticallypositioned angle iron.

Another improvement has to do with a wall bracket characterized by ananchor which may be embedded in a mortar joint in an elevated portion ofthe corner and which anchor serves as a mount for a right angular yokehaving setscrews to engage the flanges of the angle iron and to assistin holding the angle iron in place.

A highly significant aspect of the invention has to do with the basebracket characterized by a plate with a portion thereof which is adaptedto be anchored in a mortar joint and which assumes a horizontal positionand to which a suitably shaped yoke is detachably connected. The plateand yoke vary, depending on whether the use is for an inside corner oran outside corner. However, the yoke is provided with bolt means forclampingly engaging the angle iron and setting the angle iron up in aperpendicular plumb position.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying illustrative but notrestrictive drawing.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a view showing fragmentary portions of a corner in a masonrystructure, illustrating the frieze board at the top and showing theimproved corner and wall layup guide and how it is constructed and used.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged horizontal view in section and elevation taken onthe plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of thearrows.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are likewise horizontal sections on the lines 4-4 and 55,respectively, of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the variations ormodifications in the construction and arrangement for an inside, asdistinguished from an outside, corner construction.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cornice bracket.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a line clip.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are sections on the line 99 and 1010 respectively of FIG.6.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views of spring tension members usablein connection with the lower or base bracket construction.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view in section showing the clamping bolt andaccompanying parts seen in top plan in FIG. 2 but too small forexamination.

The usual practice in masonry construction is to lay-up what are knownas leads at exterior and interior corners. These leads serve to supportthe masons guide lines, which are used for guiding the laying of thecourses of the masonry between the leads. Then additional leads arebuilt and the procedure is repeated. These leads are built by only themost skilled masons, with repeated use of a level, both as a straightedge and for plumbing of corners, and also repeated use of themasonsrule for individual courses and the story pole for equality ofcoursing at all corners of the building. It should be easily understood,that if one tool can be provided that can combine all of these tools,and always be in position and not have to be reached for, it would savethe mason con siderable time. Furthermore, the guide lines needed to layup brick between the corners are simply fastened to a line clip and aseach course is laid the clip is slipped up the instrument to the nextcourse. No tying and untying of line at each course is necessary, orfastening line in mortar joint, as is the usual procedure. Also, withthe use of the new marked masons line all vertical joints may be laid tothe line without fear :of shifting the line.

It is a known fact that the running of leads is a costly operation, notonly because the most skilled mason and the multiple use of severaltools are required but also because the masonry must be laid at twolevels at once, or

the .less skilled mason who fills in between corners must be transferredto another location while the lead is being laid. It can be readilynoticed that the laying of two levels of masonry at once on a singlewall, presents a scaifol-ding problem, also the transfenring of masonsto other locations is time consuming. With this invention, leads areeliminated, therefore, all masonry is laid one course at a time fromcorner to corner and all masons are working on the same level. Contraryto running of leads unskilled or even apprentice masons may lay-upcorners in less time and more accurately than heretofore.

It will be evident from FIGS. 1 to 5 that the subject matter hereinshown is tied in primarily with an outside masonry corner construction.On the other hand, FIGS. 6, 9, 10, 11 and 13 are collectively directedto an inside corner construction. For the most part, the essentialcomponents are much the same for either the inside or outside corner andfor this reason it is believed that like parts should be designated bylike numerals so that they will be recognized in whatever figure isbeing referred to at the time.

Keeping in mind that a single lay-up corner and wall assembly is shownthe vertical guide post assembly 14 comprises an angle iron of suitablelength and crosssection having right angularly disposed companionflanges 16 and being provided on the exterior surface of each flangewith a suitably graduated and mounted masons coursing scale 18. Eachscale-equipped flange is adapted to accommodate a readily attachable anddetachable as well as slidably adjustable line clip, for example, thetype denoted at 20 and seen in detail in FIG. 8. The clip comprises asuitable body 22 with a T-shaped head 24 at one end with which an endportion of the masons line is connected in the manner seen in FIG. 1.The spring clip 26 serves to hold the over-all clip in place and thebody has a lateral flange 28 at one end with selectively usable keepernotches or seats 30 for the masons line. The clip can he slid up anddown depending on the position determinable by the scale 18. The cornicebracket for inside and outside corners is basically the same andtherefore denoted by the numeral 32 in FIG. 7. It is a one-piece castinghaving flanges 34 with holes 36 therein adapted to be nailed in place asshown in FIGS. 1 and 6 on a frieze board corner or equivalent structure.The depending flange-like skirt portions 38 have a screwthreaded holes40 to accommodate the setscrews 42 engageable with the flanges of theangle iron of the manner seen in FIG. 4 in particular.

With respect again to the line clip, it will be obvious from PEG. 6 thatthis clip might be of some other construction for example theconstruction denoted at 44 and which has a notched flange 46 andstruck-out keeper tongues 48 around which the line may be wound andfastened. The clip is of any suitable friction retaining construction.

Since the wall bracket shown in FIG. 3 differs from that shown in FIG. 9each bracket will be distinguished from the other. With respect to FIG.3 the numeral 48 designates a wall bracket having a plate-like body 50with a centralized web 52 and having lugs 54-. These lugs 54 will beanchored in the mortar joint to hold the plate 54 projecting beyond thecorner to locate the L-shaped angle iron seat 56 provided with setscrews58 which are turned and set in retaining positions in the mannerillustrated. In other Words, the angle iron is seated in thestirrup-like seat 56 as will be hereinafter discussed.

The same result is attainable in the inside corner wall bracketconstruction which is denoted at 60 in FIG. 9. Here again the plate-likebody embodies flanges 62 apertured for ready anchoring and having ears64 with holes therein to accommodate insertable and removable assemblingand retaining pins 66. These pins simply drop down through holes in theears 64 and also through holes in the arms or limbs of the generallyL-shaped yoke 67. The limbs are provided with screw-threaded holes toaccommodate the clamping screws 68 which are tightened against theflanges of the angle iron 14 as illustrated.

In the base bracket in FIG. 2 this is obviously for the outside cornerand it comprises a post positioning plate or body 70 having a web 72 andlugs 74 similarly constructed and arranged to the aforementioned lugs 52and 54 and which are adapted to be embedded in the mortar bond or jointat the base portion of the corner construction. The projecting part ofthe plate is here provided with what may be described as an angularnotch 76 providing abutments against which the flanges 16 of the angleiron 14 abut as shown. Here the yoke is substantially U-shaped as at 78and the bight portion has a screwthreaded hole to accommodate thescrew-threaded shank of a clamping bolt 80 having a suitably shapedbeveled head 82 on the inner end which engages in the crotch of theangle iron to obtain the desired clamping result. Here the arms 84overlie or straddle the coacting corner portions 86 of the plate whichhave holes therein to accommodate the insertable and removableassembling and retaining yoke pins 88. T o assist in obtaining thedesired clamping action a substantially L-shaped spring of the typeshown at 90 is employed in this construction and arrangement. The springhas a leg 3+2 with a V-shaped end 94- which conformably bridges over andrests against the vertex of the angle iron in the manner shown in dottedlines in FIG. 1. The bolt hole 96 serves to permit passage of the boltwhich bolt is provided with a suitable take-up nut 98. This noveltensioning spring functions to engage an indented ridge portion of theangle iron and exerts pressure on the angle iron which results inpushing the upper end into proper relationship against the winged boltsor setscrews carried by the cornice bracket 32. It follows that thisadded feature contributes to the over-all utility of the yoke carried bythe plate. The clamping bolt is provided with adjusting handle 99 whichis removably mounted in a hole in the shank .of a bolt, said handlehaving a removable ball-head 109 on one end to facilitate applying andremoving the handle.

With reference now to the basically similar base bracket for the insidecorner construction attention is directed to FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 13 andalso the assembled position seen at the bottom in FIG. 6. Here thebracket is denoted generally by the numeral 102 and there is a plateportion 104 of the shape shown in plan in FIG. 10 and which has abordering flange 106 for anchoring purposes. An edge portion 168 of theplate serves to accommodatingly support the flanges of the angle iron14. The luglike portions 11% have pin holes for reception of the headedconnecting pins 112 which pass through holes in the furcations 114 atthe ends of the arms of the L-shaped yoke 116. The intermediate portionof this yoke has a screw-threaded hole 118 (FIG. 13) therein toaccommodate the shank 120 of the bolt having a detachable turning leveror handle 122 thereon. In this instance the head of the bolt is denotedat 124 and this head is hollow and pivoted in place at 126 providing aswivel head construction. The head is notched to provide jaws 128 whichembrace the corner portion of the angle iron in the manner perhaps bestshown in FIG. 10.

Here the slack take-up and tensioning spring is denoted at 130 and ithas a springy arm or limb 132 with divergent jaws 134 to cooperatinglyengage with the angle iron. The flange 136 has a nut 138 welded thereonand the bolt passes through and is operatively connected with a nut sothat when the bolt is tightened in the hole 118 the clamping head ispressed into position and the spring is also fed into position by way ofthe threaded nut connection.

It will be evident that fundamentally or basically a single inventiveconcept is herein involved since the only variations are specialadaptations of similarly constructed and performing brackets varied onlybecause of the necessity of employing the instrumentality or means forplaning and laying up corners and walls. An essential characteristic, asbefore mentioned is the steel or aluminum vertically disposable angleiron this being erected and mounted by a series of brackets and beingcorrectly lined up for plumb usage. Briefly, the directions which havebeen followed in connection with a brick veneer wall for example wouldbe to first place the base bracket '70 in position on a foundation walland then lay the first course of masonary in the corner. Secondly, thecornice bracket 32 is nailed in position on the frieze board in themanner shown in FIG. 1 for example. The next step is to place the angleiron in position in the base bracket against the winged setscrews of thecornice bracket 32. By setting the base bracket clamp in position andinserting loose pins 88 and tightening the clamp against the angle ironthe fourth step is taken care of. The spring 132 in the base bracket 130is designed to engage the angle iron slightly before the bolt, thereforeexerting a pressure on the angle iron to bear against the winged boltsof the cornice bracket. Manifestly, the angle iron is plumbed byadjustment of the winged bolts 42 on the cornice bracket 32. The lineclips 20' are placed and the lines are installed from one corner to theother. Each course of masonry is laid to line according to the masonsscale 18 attached to the angle iron. This same procedural system may beequally well used for solid masonary construction. In this case onewould place the base bracket on the foundation wall or, if starting froma footing, on top of the first course of masonry. A small portion of thecorner is laid by conventional methods, and a wall bracket is placed ontop of this wall. From this point the procedure is similar to directionsgiven above for brick veneer corner and wall work. Concisely the cornicebracket is used only for brick veneer and the wall bracket for solidmasonry or similar construction.

The basic difference between brick veneer construction and solid masonryconstruction is that in the brick veneer the frame of the building isbuilt and the frieze boards attached before the wall brick are laid. Insolid masonry there is monoframe work and therefore no frieze board towork to, before the masonry is laid. My invention is designed to meetthe needs of all types of masonry. The base bracket is to be used forall types. The cornice bracket is used only for brick veneer. The cornerwall brackets are designed for use in solid masonry.

It is to be further pointed out concerning certain features that withthe instant construction no braces protrude from the Wall to injureworkmen or to be hit and thus accidentally knock the angle iron out ofplumb. It will also be evident that all joints of masonry may be jointedwithout removing the angle iron. The construction lends itself topractical use for all types of masonry brick veneer, solid masonry,brick and the tile cavity wall constructions, and so on. Not only thisall parts needed for large building purposes, except the angle irons ofcourse, may be stored in a reasonably small easy-to-carry container.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in plumbing a corner, running lines and coursing units; meansfor laying up masonry corners and intervening masonry walls comprising,in combination, a base bracket having means to temporarily embody andsecurely anchor said bracket in a predetermined position in a selectedportion of a wall corner and having a plate portion projecting beyondthe wall line and embodying abutments at right angles to each other, anelongated angle iron constituting a corner plumbing upright having rightangled flanges cooperable with said abutments, a clamping yoke havingend portions detachably secured to said plate and a median portionopposed to and bridging said abutments and also straddling the angleiron flanges whereby the angle iron is located for erection and plumbingbetween the abutments and yoke, and a clamping bolt operatively mountedon the yoke and having a thrust head at an inner end thereof clampinglybound against a ridge surface of the angle iron, a cornice brackethaving means for temporarily nailing thereof to and upon a frieze boardand also having depending flange-like wings adapted to parallel andembrace the flanges of an upper end portion of said angle iron, andsetscrews carried by said wings and contacting said flanges whereby toassist in setting up the angle iron in its desired vertical as well asplumb position, and a tensioning spring clip embodied in the basebracket construction and having a yieldable leg, said leg having a freeend portion and said free end portion having a head conforming to andengageable with said ridge surface of the angle iron and nut meansoperatively connecting said clip and said bolt.

2. A base bracket comprising a plate the major portion of which isadapted to project in a horizontal plane beyond cooperating surfaces ofa masonry corner construction, an inner marginal portion of said platebeing adapted to fit into a mortar bond and to thus be anchored inplace,

said plate having abutments at right angles to each other and saidabutments being adapted to supportingly contact cooperating surfaces onthe flanges of an angle iron, an L-shaped yoke having bifurcated endportions with pin receiving holes, cooperating portions of said platehaving pin holes and loose pins passing removably through the respectiveholes and serving to removably connect the end portions of the yoke tothe plate, a median portion of said yoke having a screw-threaded bolthole, a bolt having a shank screwed into and through said hole with aninner end having a swiveled head to engage a corner portion of an angleiron, and handle means operatively mounted on the outer end of saidbolt, and a tensioning spring, said spring having a resilient leg with aV-shaped head on one end adapted to bear against a corner part of theangle iron, said spring also having a flange with a bolt hole, saidflange being provided with an integral nut and said nut being lined upwith said bolt hole and said bolt hole and the hole in said nut beingthreaded on the shank of said bolt.

3. For use in fastening a lower end portion of an angle iron to a cornerconstruction in a masonry wall, a base bracket comprising a plategenerally flat and adapted to project in a horizontal position beyondright angularly disposed wall lines of the corner, said plate beingprovided at an attachable end with lugs adapted to be embedded in amortar joint in the corner construction, said plate also having anotched portion the edges of which are at right angles to each other andprovide abutments, said abutments adapted topermit the flanges of anangle iron to seat firmly against the same, a yoke having end portionsremovably attached to said plate and having a central portion adapted tobridge the space between said abutments, said yoke having in the centralportion a screw threaded hole, a clamping bolt a-djustably and removablymounted in the screw-threaded hole, said bolt being provided at theinner end with an angle iron engaging head and provided at an outer endwith a turning handle, a pressure spring having a leg provided with abolt hole, said bolt extending through said hole, said leg having ahead, and said head being shaped to conform to and bear against acooperating portion of an angle iron, and a nut on the shank of the boltengageable with the leg of said spring.

4. A base bracket comprising a substantially flat plate portion designedso that in use it projects in a horizontal plane beyond cooperatingsurfaces of a masonry corner construction, inner marginal portions ofsaid plate being designed and adapted to fit into a mortar bond forsecure anchorage of the plate on the corner construction, marginalcentral portions of the plate being adapted to overlie a corner andsurface portion of a brick in the masonry wall or corner construction,said plate having abutments at right angles to each other and saidabutments being adapted to engage and supportingly cooperate withsurfaces on coacting flanges of an upstanding angle iron, asubstantially U-shaped yoke having end portions bifurcated with thefurcations formed with assembling and retaining pin holes, cooperatingportions of said plate having ears and said ears having pin holes, andreadily insertable pins loosely passing through the respective holes andserving to removably connect end portions of the yoke to the plate, amedian portion of said yoke being provided with a horizontalscrew-threaded hole, a bolt having a shank screwed into and through saidhole and with an inner end thereof provided with a head to engage aridge portion of the aforementioned angle iron, a slack take-up pressuretype spring embodying a leg provided with a bolt hole, said boltextending through said hole and said leg having a free end and said freeend terminating in a head, said head shaped to conform to and directlybear against a cooperating ridge portion of the angle iron, and a nutcarried by the shank of the bolt and associated and cooperable with theend of the leg having said bolt hole.

5. For use in fastening a lower end portion of a guide post to a wallcorner construction, anohoring base means comprising, embedding meansfor secure anchoring in the Wall corner construction, post positioningmeans connected to the embedding means in spaced relation to the cornerwall constmction for receiving said guide post therewithin, straddlingmeans removably connected to the post positioning means in straddlingrelation to the guide post, clamping means operatively mounted by thestraddling means and actuatable to engage the guide post Within thepositioning means and means operatively connected to the clamping meansfor yieldably engaging the guide post in spaced relation in direction ofthe guide post to the positioning means in response to actuation of theclamping means.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said lastmentioned means includesa head portion displaceable toward the guide post by the clamping meanswhen ac- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,644,456 Winter Oct. 4, 1927 2,623,289 Kampel Dec. 30, 19522,666,260 Schneider Jan. 19, 1954 2,672,691 Sears Mar. 23, 19542,774,622 Priebe Dec. 18, 1956 2,832,143 Davis Apr. 29, 1958 2,855,681Andrews Oct. 14, 1958

